CLAUSE 4.—(Revocation of Orders.) (Hansard, 29 May 1934)

§ Mr. SUTCLIFFE
I beg to move, in page 3, line 38, after "revoked," to insert: either wholly or in nespect of any provision specified in the request. As the Clause stands, an Order must be unaltered and unamended until it is revoked. It can only be dealt with as a whole, and not in part. When it is revoked it remains so until further application has been made, and this may necessitate a further inquiry, which may range over the whole field of the agreement. Such an inquiry is bound to take considerable time. Meanwhile, what is happening? There is no legally enforceable wage agreement in operation during that period covering any of the workers concerned, although the amendment which was required possibly only dealt with the rates of a small group of the whole body. We can quite easily imagine a position where the rates as a whole are satisfactory and the rates of a particular branch of the weaving trade are found to be unsatisfactory. Surely, it is not intended that the whole provision should be hampered by a position such as that. Under the Amendment it would be possible to revoke a particular provision or part of a provision while at the same time all the other provisions would remain operative. We who are supporting the Amendment think that it would make for more elasticity in the Bill and make it more workable, while at the same time it would not weaken the safeguards contained in the Bill.

Mr. HUDSON
For the reasons put forward by my hon. Friend, we will accept the Amendment.

§ Mr. RHYS DAVIES
The Minister today has accepted a number of Amendments moved by hon. Members for Lancashire constituencies. I want to be sure that not only the employers' side wish these Amendments to be inserted, but that the workpeople also desire them.

§ Sir H. BETTERTON
I can give my hon. Friend that assurance.